Definition
Headache is a pain in any region of the head. Headaches may occur on one or both sides of the head, be isolated to a certain location, radiate across the head from one point, or have a viselike quality.
A headache may appear as a sharp pain, a throbbing sensation or a dull ache. Headaches can develop gradually or suddenly, and may last from less than an hour to several days. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/headache/basics/definition/sym-20050800)
What are the types of headaches?
There are more than 150 types of headaches. They fall into two main categories: primary and secondary headaches.
Primary headache: Dysfunction or over-activity of pain-sensitive features in your head come primary headaches. They’re not a symptom of or caused by an underlying medical condition. Types of primary headaches include:
- Tension-type headaches (the causes common type of headache)
- Migraine headaches
- Cluster headaches
- New daily persistent headaches (NDPH)
Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors or situations, including:
- Alcohol, particularly red wine
- Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates
- Consuming nicotine (Nicotine headache)
- Changes in sleep or lack of sleep
- Poor posture
- Physical activity, such as exercise
- Skipped meals (hunger headache)
- Coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, straining (such as when having a bowel movement), or laughing or crying vigorously.
Secondary headaches: An underlying medical condition causes secondary headaches. They’re considered a symptom or sign of a condition.
- Dehydration headache
- Sinus headache
- Medication overuse headache
Types of secondary headaches that can be a sign of a serious or potentially life-threatening condition include:
- Spinal headache: Intense headaches that occur when spinal fluid leaks out of the membrane covering your spinal cord, usually after a spinal tap. Most spinal headaches can be treated at home, but prolonged, untreated spinal headaches can cause life-threatening complications, including subdural hematoma and seizures.
- Thunderclap headaches: Extremely painful headaches that come on suddenly, like a clap of thunder. This type of headache reaches its most intense pain within one minute and lasts at least five minutes. While thunderclap headaches can sometimes be harmless, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. They can be a sign of:
- Head injury
- Brain bleed
- Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
- A sudden, severe rise in blood pressure
(https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9639-headaches)
What are the causes and clinical presentation of headaches?
The most common type of headache is tension headache. It is likely caused by tight muscles in your shoulders, neck, scalp, and jaw. A tension headache:
- May be related to stress, depression, anxiety, a head injury, or holding your head and neck in an abnormal position.
- Tends to be on both sides of your head. It often starts at the back of the head and spreads forward. The pain may feel dull or squeezing, like a tight band or vice. Your shoulders, neck, or jaw may feel tight or sore.
A migraine headache involves pain that is throbbing, pounding, or pulsating and is on one side of your head. It usually occurs with other symptoms, such as vision changes, sensitivity to sound or light, or nausea. With a migraine:
- The headache may be associated with an aura. This is a group of warning symptoms that start before your headache.
- The pain usually gets worse as you try to move around.
- Migraines may be triggered by foods, such as chocolate, certain cheeses, or monosodium glutamate (MSG). Caffeine withdrawal, lack of sleep, and alcohol may also be triggers.
- A cluster headache is a sharp, very painful headache that occurs daily, sometimes up to several times a day for months. It then goes away for weeks to months. In some people, the headaches never come back. The headache usually lasts less than an hour. It tends to occur at the same times every day.
- Sinus headache causes pain in the front of the head and face. It is due to swelling in the sinus passages behind the cheeks, nose, and eyes. The pain is worse when you bend forward and when you first wake up in the morning.
- Headaches may occur if you have a cold, the flu, a fever, or premenstrual syndrome.
- Headache due to a disorder called temporal arteritis. This is a swollen, inflamed artery that supplies blood to part of the head, temple, and neck area.
Other causes of headaches that require immediate medical attention can be:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissue that covers the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage)
- Blood pressure that is very high
- Brain infection, such as meningitis encephalitis, or abscess
- Brain tumour
- A buildup of fluid inside the skull that leads to brain swelling (hydrocephalus)
- A buildup of pressure inside the skull that appears to be, but is not a tumor (pseudotumor cerebri)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Lack of oxygen during sleep (sleep apnoea)
- Problems with the blood vessels and bleeding in the brain, such as arteriovenous malformation (AVM), brain aneurysm, or stroke. (https://www.pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/headache)
When to contact a problems professional?
- This is the first headache you have ever had in your life and it interferes with your daily activities.
- Your headache comes on suddenly and is explosive or violent. This kind of headache needs medical attention right away. It may be due to a ruptured blood vessel in the brain. Call 911 or the local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room.
- Your headache is "the worst ever," even if you regularly get headaches.
- You also have a fever, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting with your headache.
- Your headache occurs with a head injury.
- Your headache is severe and just in one eye, with redness in that eye.
- You just started getting headaches, especially if you are older than 50.
- Your headaches are associated with vision problems, pain while chewing, or weight loss.
- You have a history of cancer or immune system problems (such as HIV/AIDS) and develop a new headache.
